MP Simon Danczuk has spoken of his frustration at the ‘shambolic’ delays that have hit the opening of Rochdale's Metrolink line.

He says businesses and homeowners have faced misery because of the trams’ late arrival and questions now need to be asked about who is responsible.

It comes after it emerged Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) is locked in a legal wrangle with one of its Metrolink contractors – with both sides blaming each other for the delays.

Mr Danczuk said: “Let’s be honest about this, Metrolink coming to Rochdale has been a shambles from start to finish. It has upset residents along the route and it has caused misery for businesses in the town because of the delays.

“We don’t know yet when it’s going to be completed. Questions need to be answered as to who is ultimately responsible for the shambles.”

Thales Transport and Security was given a £22m contract in 2008 to fit a new signalling system – the so-called Tram Management System – as part of the £1.4bn ‘Big Bang’ expansion of the network, as reported in Saturday's Rochdale Observer.

But problems installing the system delayed the opening of new lines to Chorlton and Oldham, while extensions to Rochdale and Droylsden are also months behind schedule.

Thales is now demanding an extra £42.3m payout from TfGM. Transport chiefs are contesting the claim and a judge at the High Court has now ordered Thales to hand confidential documents to TfGM to verify whether they have complied with their contract. The judge said ‘major differences’ had emerged between TfGM and Thales and the project ‘appears not to have gone well’.

An independent adjudicator has already examined half of Thales’ £42.3m claim – and ruled TfGM should only pay the firm £700,000.

Bosses at TfGM say they are working hard to resolve the dispute and to ensure the new tram lines open as quickly as possible.

They say they intervened to provide an interim fix to ensure the extension to Shaw could open – without which the lines would have been further delayed.

Coun Andrew Fender, the chairman of the TfGM committee, said: “Since I became chairman, I’ve been working daily with officers from TfGM to ensure the new lines can be open as quickly as they can. What we’re not prepared to see is public safety compromised or the public sector paying the price for a contractor not providing what they have been contracted to do.”